The Warmth
by Calla
Summary: Kaite is an adult now and has just been handed the job of a lifetime. So why is he so unhappy? Perhaps a certain 'angel' can change all that? Yaoi. KaiteXVash. And possibly KnivesXVash. Not a songfic...


I don't own Trigun....  
  
Summary: Set about 10 years after series. Kaite is an adult now and has recently been handed the job of a lifetime. So why is he so unhappy? Perhaps a certain 'angel' can change all that? Spoilers? ..I think so.. Yaoi? Yes. (KaiteXVash or VashXKaite.. not sure yet) And most likely, future twincest (KnivesXVash) ...Rating may change as story progresses.  
  
The Warmth: Part One  
  
Warmth. Something one would think couldn't be too hard to find in a desert.  
  
But it's always so cold here. ....Not the cold that people here often wish for...  
  
Dry. But not like your mouth when you haven't had enough water on a hot day, or even like the sand beneath your feet.  
  
But lifeless.  
  
Like me.  
  
....  
  
I sit here, behind my desk with my forehead planted on top of it. Well, the desk isn't really mine... but lately everyone has come to think that it is. Ever since Mr. Eddington left me to his job, I've felt so.... useless... When I was a regular worker here, I did so much more work! ..It seems like now I'm getting paid five times more, for doing five times less than before. So why complain? ....Because I have nothing to do. And thinking always begins with nothing. And ends that way too.  
  
"Sir!"  
  
The door crashes open, and I lift my head up quickly, to see a surprised worker standing just outside my door.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
He stares at me unsurely. And I blink some, wondering why he stares so. But then realize there's a piece of paper stuck on my forehead from the sweat that layed between the two. I take it off, setting it back down on the desk as I sit up. And I look at him, watching me.  
  
"What are you waiting for?" I snap, "You didn't just burst in here to gawk at me did you??"  
  
He falls back at my crudeness, but stands straight soon after.  
  
"There's something wrong with the plant, sir, but we don't know what."  
  
I come up from behind my desk and approach him...  
  
"What happened?"  
  
I ask as I study his face.... His face is nervous, and he doesn't make eye contact with me as he speaks. I know he's scared of me. Most around here are. He's even sweating more than one would expect.  
  
"I don't know, sir. There were problems on the monitor that couldn't be fixed in the control room, and when we sent some people to see what was wrong in the main room, the problem stopped. So... we figured it was just a glitch in the monitor.... But it happened again!"  
  
I look up now, to the flickering light.... And then back to the worker.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
*  
  
"Did you check the tempurature in the main room?"  
  
I ask as we walk. And we walk fast... I thought I could figure out what was happening by asking the worker, Lou- his name was, some questions. By Lou's responses, I would think that nothing was wrong.... But I can feel that something really is... But what?  
  
"It's at regular tempurature, sir."  
  
...I walk faster.  
  
"Sir.. The control room is that way."  
  
He says as he tries to keep up.  
  
"I know. We're going to the main room.You said earlier that when anyone went into the main room, the problem ceased... Correct?"  
  
"Yes, sir.... But it seems to be acting up now, and the thing is.. We left three others in the main room to keep watch."  
  
"Shit.."  
  
I mumble as the lights flicker wildly, much worse than before. I'm running now, until I finally get to the main room enterance. I quickly reach for the lever that activates the first door to get in. And I grunt as I push it down.  
  
It's strange. As soon as the lever snaps down, and the first door clicks open, the lights begin to shine brightly once more.  
  
I open the door, and look down the hall, to see Lou running toward me.  
  
"Hurry up!"  
  
I hiss, and he does. We both stand in the small room now, and he closes the door behind him before helping me to pull the second lever. Once the tempurature in this room is right, we are able to enter the main room, so we wait for the lever to click....  
  
Which it does, and I immediately open the door.  
  
Lou gasps as we both see three workers sprawled over the floor. I watch as he checks on one of them.  
  
....It's so wierd.... Even with the three men laying there, everything seems back to normal... But I start to think... What if whatever happened to them, happens to Lou and I?  
  
"Are they alive?"  
  
I ask.. I'm scared, but I won't let it show in my voice as I watch him check on the other two.  
  
"They're breatheing..."  
  
Lou says, patting one on the cheek.  
  
I don't bother to sigh as I move toward the bulb..... It's very beautiful. This thing that keeps us all here alive. ...I put my hand to the glass of the bulb and my eyes widen, gasping some. I always get a rush from touching the bulb... It has this certain unexplainable feeling to it....  
  
"Sir?"  
  
I take my hands off, surprised by Lou's voice.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
He asks.  
  
"....I'm fine."  
  
I say so quietly, I barely hear myself... And he just stands there.... breatheing...  
  
"Come on!" I yell, "Go get help for those three- go check the control again- do something! - Anything!"  
  
He jumps the second I yell, and immediately leaves afterwards... for the three unconscience men laying on the floor I figured.  
  
.....  
  
I look back at the bulb.... What was wrong? ....Or is?... I put my fingertips on the glass once more.. Maybe there's a crack in the glass? ..I begin to circle around, searching for any problems. And once I got about halfway around the bulb, my fingers begin to tingle, from the energy from the bulb that's surging through them.  
  
I stop, pulling my fingers away.  
  
What was that?  
  
...I could have sworn I saw something move... inside of the bulb. I bring my face closer, to look in... But no more unusual movement... I wouldn't say that the bulb was back to normal, because it never was... The colors of it shine beautifully.. And my eyes focus from the inside of the bulb, to the outside once more. And I see handprints.  
  
Mine?  
  
No... I look closely again, putting my hands to them... The marks on the glass are slightly bigger than my own. And they can't be mine anyhow. All the other places I have touched the bulb at, never left a mark... They were the only prints on the bulb in fact.I quickly pull my hand away once I see that the prints are now starting to fade. I put my hand back on the glass, to see if it really wouldn't make a mark... And it didn't.  
  
I stare, confused. And then jump at the sound of some small clinking noise. At first, I think it's just Lou come back with help... But then notice that the noise had come from the other way... I look to where it came.. And see the vent latch close on it's own.  
  
*  
  
...So he thinks he can hide in the vents? I figured it was a male, judgeing by the handprints I had seen before.  
  
Nonetheless, I smile at the challenge. Hah. 'Challenge'. If that's what I can call it.  
  
I stand in this small room in the plant, waiting... and hiding behind a wall that, standing by the vent in the room, I could not be seen past. And if I'm right... this is where he will come out.  
  
But I won't let my pride get the best of me. I'm not stupid. I have other workers covering all, and any other possible exits.  
  
Once again, I smile, with my gun in hand. This is a lot better than sitting behind that desk.  
  
....  
  
It's probably some punk kid... Traveling through the vents... best way to get around in a place like this... I would have chased after the little buggar, but I'm smarter than that.  
  
Click.  
  
....I hear the vent, and my smiles fades into a serious face.... If he knew I was here, he'd just crawl back into the vent. So I keep hidden, waiting for him to come out. ...I listen for him...  
  
It's only him and me in the small room... But I have back up waiting to be called for, or for the guy to leave the room... If he happens to get by me.  
  
I still wait.... Why isn't he going to the door? ....Did he go back into the vent? ...Why would he though??  
  
I put my head out some to look- and hear the click of a gun getting ready to shoot, as I feel a metal shaft being brought to the side of my head.  
  
"Bad move, squirt."  
  
I gasp, dropping my gun.  
  
*  
  
A fire sets off from the fallen gun. I yell out some, and I watch as the man with the gun to my head jumps away, screaming like a little girl. He continues to jump around, shaking His head. I just stare, not being able to do much else...  
  
He stops once the door bursts open, revealing three workers.  
  
"Kaite, sir, are you all right?"  
  
One of them asks. ...The other two havae a hold of Him now.  
  
"I'm fine..."  
  
I say, somewhat dazed, but shake it off realizing my company.  
  
"Hey what about me?"  
  
The gunman smiles, looking at the two holding Him. ...I have no doubt that, if He really wanted them, they'd be off.  
  
"Shut up you little shit!"  
  
One of the workers go to hit Him, but I jump quickly, and grab their hand. The worker stares at me in surprise, and then in agony as I twist his hand.  
  
"Don't touch Him." I hiss.  
  
I let him go, and he backs away, glareing at me as he holds his wrist in pain.  
  
"You three, get out of here now."  
  
I say, emotionlessly.  
  
"But sir..."  
  
Another starts.  
  
"Get. Out. Now!"  
  
They all leave. ..The one whose hand I twisted takes the longest though.. I know he would like to smash my head in right now, but hell if I cared.  
  
....  
  
"Wow, you're really mean."  
  
Says the man once the door is closed. I look at Him...  
  
"It's the only was I can get respect around here. I can't be in charge if I have people stepping all over me! I-...."  
  
I start to say.. but then realize who it is here I'm talking to.  
  
He smiles faintly, shaking His head. I think He knows why I stopped.  
  
"What are You doing here?"  
  
I ask instead, looking away. He laughs now.  
  
"What you mean to say is- 'It's great to see you!'"  
  
He now has his arms around me. He squeezes me, and I cough a little, but can't help to smile.  
  
I can't believe it.... It's really Him... He let's go of me soon after, and I look at His face.  
  
....But it can't be.......  
  
"Are you... really... You?"  
  
He looks at me, tilting His head to the side to show He didn't understand.... But I guess that made the both of us who didn't... Different reasons, I knew... But....It's been fifteen years.... so...  
  
Why does He look exactly the same?  
  
*  
  
All right. That's all for now. I'll hopefully be updating soon... But I guess that's up to you guys! Please review. 


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